i don't know if today's election results will enable anyone to bridge the gaps, but anyway i am breathing a sigh of relief today. i got up at 4:15 to watch the coverage. at 5:17 a.m. my time, CBS called the race for obama. CNN quickly followed. BBC seemed like they snapped out of a coma and called it a few minutes later. the new york times took nearly an hour. and despite the florida vote still not being in as i write this, obama was re-elected by a comfortable margin.
this whole race was ugly. and the aftermath, as it's played out on facebook at least, is even uglier. i saw some things written there today by bitter republicans that simply scare the hell out of me. the blatant racism and hatred in evidence is frightening. and the things with which they credit the president (the demise of their businesses, their cancer, their dog being hit by a car) are simply astonishing. i've been gone too long. i knew bush had destroyed my country and gave voice to all those extreme lunatics, but but i don't think i fully appreciated exactly how bad it was.
so despite being relieved that obama won, i wonder at what price?
6 comments:
You bring up a good question. I have no answer, but I hope that this conservative childish behavior will slowly abate as they get it out of their systems.
At least Mitt himself was quite gracious in his defeat speech. Perhaps the key is to remind all of those sad conservatives to follow the example of the man they wanted to be president. Their leader, you know.
The uber-neo-con-religious-conservative movement runs deep.
We have xenophobics, the shoot first foreign policy believers, we have old-fashioned bigots and we have the kill government faction.
Then there's religion ...
A few rightwing conservative christian colleges are turning out graduates with the singular purpose of those grads becoming part of the Federal bureaucracy (ie, change from within).
And it has become more common for politically motivated priests and ministers to preach conservative politics from their pulpits.
And we have a sort of American Taliban - they're all God, Flag and "Freedom". Guns are a predominant feature in their world. Some are teabaggers, others are simply hateful and paranoid. Intolerance doesn't begin to describe their views.
I don't have an answer either, and I hope they do get it out of their systems, but I fear that the polarized fearmongering hatred may be the 'new normal'. My head is swimming with thoughts on this and I'm so afraid that this country is headed for an un-civil war of sorts.
As a [non-american] citizen of the world I would like to thank the Americans for voting Barack back in.
My initial thought when hearing the news was the same as the first time he was elected "if they can keep him alive for 4yrs he might just make a difference".
From reports over here it was a close call ..so fingers crossed he is given the opportunity.
Bad Manners......I know it may sound cliche' but that is what has repeated in my head for weeks......I agree with you.....smiles
"their dog being hit by a car..." I love that! I have wondered why people have been so eager to insist that their lives are miserable just so they can blame it on Obama.
I am a Mormon living in Utah and a huge Obama supporter. I hate guns and I say since I have ten children that's pro-life enough. Feeling like somewhat of a misfit, it has been a challenging few months, but Election night was better than the Super Bowl and Oscar night combined! Now as you say...for the aftermath. I hope the best for the economy but I know we avoided a foreign policy disaster...and as an LDS church member, I would prefer not to have Romney represent my faith. Obama's compassion and determination to help those who can't help themselves, on the other hand is truly inspiring.
Off the subject..you're photography takes my breath away. I love the saw series. Thank you! Megan
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